The human heart is a complex and critical pump. Due to various pathologies, the heart can become dysfunctional, acutely or chronically. When damage to the heart becomes sufficiently symptomatic by clinical measures, the heart may be diagnosed as cardiomyopathic, a form of heart failure. In such a situation, a doctor can recommend mechanical assistance among the few therapeutic options that include pharmacologic therapy and heart transplantation. Where an afflicted person is scheduled to receive a transplant, mechanical assistance may be a choice of therapy until a donor heart becomes available.
Blood pumps are commonly used to provide mechanical augmentation to the pumping performed by the left and/or right ventricles of the heart. Ventricular assistance may be provided by an implantable pump that is connected in parallel with the person's heart and may be regulated by a controller. The controller and the pump use a power source, such as one or more external batteries or electrical connection to a wall socket. A blood pump generally uses about 1-10 W of power. Connection to a sufficient power source to operate the pump and controller can make mobility difficult, which can reduce the quality of life for a patient.